Jose Mourinho’s greatest XI using players who played for him at Chelsea, Manchester United, Inter and Real Madrid

Mou’s all stars

Would any of his current players make it into a starting line-up containing some truly great players who played for and won trophies under the Portuguese?

Jose Mourinho has managed some of the game’s best players during his glittering career as a manager.

His talent has taken him from Porto to Chelsea, with stops at Inter, Real Madrid and Manchester United where he could call on names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Eden Hazard and now Paul Pogba.

But which players would make his greatest XI using those who have played under the Portuguese? Here, talkSPORT.com looks at what the best line-up could look like.

It doesn’t contain any Man United players yet, but it might eventually.

A Jose Mourinho ‘greatest XI’

GOALKEEPERThere’s no question current Man United goalkeeper David De Gea is the best in the world, but Cech was part of that formidable back line at Chelsea. In the Premier League during the 2004/05 season, which the club won, only 15 goals were conceded. He won four Premier League titles with Mourinho.

DEFENCEIf Cech is in goal then Chelsea defenders Terry and Carvalho must be in front of him. This was a centre-back pairing he trusted, which he is so desperate to have at Old Trafford.

Terry was his most trusted player and the captain on the pitch, while Carvalho, a Champions League winner with Mourinho at Porto was brought to Stamford Bridge in 2004. The manager then took him to Real Madrid in 2010. On Zanetti, this is what Mourinho said of him: “I know players who are old at 22, and guys who are young at 37. Zanetti was already 37 when I was at Inter, but when the other players came in after a day off from training, he would run all the way from his home to burn off more energy.”

Zanetti won the treble with Inter and Mourinho in 2010 and on the left is Marcelo, who says Mourinho taught them to fight. Despite the It means players talkSPORT.com can’t even include Sergio Ramos and Ashley Cole.

Terry was Mourinho’s trusted captain at Chelsea and Lampard his free scoring midfielder

MIDFIELDMakelele was the disciplined midfielder at Chelsea, who allowed team-mate Lampard to surge forward. Lampard became one of the best midfielders in the world under Mourinho, while Sneijder was the focal point of Inter’s attack. They won Serie A, the Coppa Italia and Champions League in 2010, a year he also reached the World Cup final with the Netherlands. He was arguably the best midfielder in the world at this time.

Under Mourinho, Sneijder was one of the best midfielders in Europe

ATTACK

Ronaldo and Mourinho may not have always seen eye-to-eye in their three years together at Real Madrid, but the manager still brought out the best in his player. They won the league and cup during this time, but Ronaldo also scored 168 goals in 164 games under his compatriot.

“If Messi is the best on the planet, Ronaldo is the best in the universe,” Mourinho said. On Drogba, the striker he signed for £24m in 2004, he said this: “Didier is in my life as one of the best players I have managed in my career, but much more importantly, he’s in my life as one of the best and most unforgettable friends. He is a special person.”

Ozil was a good player under Mourinho, but Hazard makes this team. “When Jose came [back to Chelsea in 2014] he tried to make me one of the best players in England and I think he put this in my mind, that it was possible,” the Belgian said. “I started to realise that if I’m playing well in every game I could be one of the best.” He was Chelsea’s top scoring player when Mourinho returned and then was crowned Player of the Season when the Blues won the 2014/15 Premier League.